by Connie Mason
Bert managed a wobbly smile. “I’d risk anything to help my daughter free the man she loves. Just seeing them together did my heart good. Isn’t that right, Padre?”
“Si,” Padre Enrico said, nodding enthusiastically. “Young love is wondrous, indeed. I married them shortly before Senor Delaney and his bride went into hiding. Your brother was quite adamant about making Senorita Kitty his bride before they went off together.”
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Chad muttered. “Sorry about the language, Padre, but this is so incredible. Ryan has always been dead set against marriage. We never thought to see the day he’d take a wife.”
“They are very much in love,” Padre Enrico said, beaming. “Your brother wanted to celebrate their love within the sacred bonds of matrimony.”
“Where are they?” Pierce asked. “Are they safe? Do they need anything?”
“I feel confident that Kitty and Ryan have everything they need for the moment,” Bert said, tongue-in-cheek. “They are hiding in a cave located some distance up the mountain behind the mission. Everything needed for an extended stay was placed beforehand in the cave. I suspect they are enjoying a private honeymoon right now.”
“Seems like you’ve thought of everything,” Pierce said. “Now it’s up to us to get Ryan out of the territory alive and to make sure the law doesn’t catch up with him.”
“How would you like to see Ryan’s name cleared of all charges?” Bert asked in a hoarse voice that grew progressively weaker as he spoke.
“Can you do that?” Chad asked with alacrity.
“I… can … try,” Bert said, gasping for breath as he clutched at his chest as if in pain.
“Perhaps you should leave and return tomorrow,” Padre Enrico suggested to Pierce and Chad when he noted Bert’s distress. “I will give him something to ease the pain in his heart, then he will sleep. He must rest until he gains the strength to pursue his plan for your brother’s pardon. Come back tomorrow when he is stronger and I’m sure he will tell you what he wishes you to do.”
“Yes,” Bert agreed. “Come … back tomorrow.”
Pierce and Chad made a hasty exit so the priest could administer to Bert in private.
“I hope he lives long enough to restore our brother’s name,” Chad said, obviously worried about Bert’s ability to survive the night, much less rise from bed at some future date.
“What do you suppose he has in mind?”
“I reckon we won’t know until tomorrow.”
Kitty was happier than she had ever been in her entire life. Ryan loved her, and they were husband and wife. She was also pretty certain now of something she’d suspected for a few weeks: She carried Ryan’s child. Kitty hummed a snappy tune as she prepared their breakfast over the fire, reliving in her mind all the wonderful, incredibly erotic ways in which they had made love during the long night. She’d be content to remain in this lowly cave forever as long as Ryan was with her.
“Kitty!” Ryan called from the mouth of the cave. “Come outside in the sunlight. No one can see us unless they ride by the base of the mountain, and then I doubt they’ll find the cave unless they climb up here.”
“I’ll be right out,” Kitty called back. She dished the eggs, bacon, and potatoes she had just cooked into two tin plates, placed a fork on each plate, and carried them outside to where Ryan was sitting on a fallen stump.
He took the plate from her and dug in with gusto. “I reckon I was hungrier than I thought,” he said around a mouthful of food.
“Making love all night does that to one,” Kitty teased.
A wicked twinkle lurked in the depths of his green eyes. “Then you’d better eat up, for you’ll need all your energy for tonight. Would you like to go for a walk?” he added as he set aside his empty plate.
“Dare we? The law will be out searching for you.”
“If they don’t find me soon they’ll think I took off for Montana. I sincerely doubt they’ll scour the mountains; there are too many hiding places like this one.”
They trekked a short distance up the mountain and sat on a rock to rest before starting back down. “I can see the mission from here,” Kitty enthused. “It looks so quiet and peaceful.”
Ryan pointed toward the town. “Look, Marshal Pringle must be gathering a posse. I can see a dozen or so riders milling around in front of the jailhouse.”
“We should be getting back to the cave,” Kitty said anxiously.
“I reckon you’re right. We can come back out tonight. We’ll be safe in the dark. Perhaps we’ll even sleep under the stars tonight. It’s been a long time since we’ve made love by moonlight.”
They started back down the mountain. “Do you think your brothers know that you escaped?” Kitty wondered.
“They should have returned to Tucson by now. I’m sure Bert got the word to them somehow.” A shudder passed through him. “I’d face the hangman day after tomorrow if not for you and Bert. Do you suppose he’s all right? I owe him a great deal.”
“Bert knew the risks and refused to let ill health stop him from saving your life,” Kitty said, though the thought of Bert’s imminent death pained her. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay him.”
“Your love was all he ever wanted, Kitten. Ah, here’s the cave. We have many hours to kill before dark, and I know of a perfect way to wile away the time.”
He brought her hand to his groin, showing her without words how he intended to spend the empty hours. “I can’t seem to get enough of you, love.” He removed her hand and led her into the cave. Then he lay her down on the bedroll and undressed her, loving her with his eyes, his hands, and his mouth before finally joining their bodies. They came together explosively, and just as explosively found Paradise.
Chad and Pierce returned to the mission the next morning, anxious to learn how Bert intended to clear Ryan’s name. They found Bert still weak but somewhat restored after a good night’s rest.
“Are you up to explaining how you intend to obtain a pardon for Ryan?” Pierce asked.
“Take your time, Bert,” Chad cautioned. “We don’t want you to overexert yourself. Just tell us what needs doing and we’ll do it. This mess can’t be cleared up fast enough for us. Our wives expected us home long before now. We wired them this morning, explaining the delay, but that’s not going to satisfy either Zoey or Sarah. Abner is a handful for Sarah, and I know he misses me,” Chad explained. “Little Amanda is at the age now where she recognizes me as her father. I miss them.”
“I hated to leave Zoey alone with a newborn son and energetic toddler to care for,” Pierce said. “Cully and the hands are capable of looking after them, but I miss them. So you can see how anxious we are to clear this up and go home. We’re grateful for anything you can do to help Ryan.”
“Something the marshal said got me to thinking,” Bert revealed. “He said it would take a governor’s pardon to save Ryan from the hangman. Well, I’m going to petition the governor for a pardon in Ryan’s behalf.”
“What makes you think the governor will listen to you?” Chad, ever the skeptic, asked.
“I know Governor Fremont. So did your father. All three of us served in the war together. He was our captain, and we saved his life once. Did your father never tell you about it?”
“Pa never spoke much about the war,” Pierce said. “What can we do to help?”
“I can’t make the trip up to Prescott to petition the governor personally so I’m counting on you to carry my letter to him.”
“Prescott!” Chad cried. “That’s a helluva long way from here.”
“The railroad just extended a spur line between Prescott and Phoenix so you can complete the entire journey by rail. I don’t know when the next train is due, but I hope you’ll be on it. I’ve already written my letter to the governor and I’m counting on you to convince Governor Fremont that Ryan is innocent. With luck you’ll have Ryan’s pardon within the week.”
“I wish I were as certain as you that Fremont will gr
ant Ryan a pardon,” Chad groused. “Maybe we should just try to outrun the posse.”
“No,” Pierce said decisively. “We’ll go for the pardon. I can’t bear the thought of Ryan going through life with a price on his head. Give us your letter, Bert. We’ll deliver it and present a moving plea in Ryan’s behalf.”
“That’s all I can ask,” Bert said with a sigh. “I want Kitty to be happy after I’m gone. She’s run from the law most of her young life and that’s not the kind of future I want for her.”
“Here is the letter,” Padre Enrico said, handing Pierce a sealed envelope.
“Shouldn’t we look in on Ryan and Kitty first?” Chad asked. “He would want to know what we’re doing on his behalf.”
“There isn’t time,” Bert explained. “I reckon Kitty will come down to the mission in a day or two anyway. She’s in no danger since she’s not a suspect in the jailbreak.”
“Very well,” Pierce said, placing the letter in his vest pocket. “Let’s go, Chad. There might even be a train out today.”
“God go with you,” Padre Enrico intoned solemnly.
Kitty and Ryan lingered outside the cave, soaking up the sunlight after having made love and bathed in the pool. The silence around them was profound, pierced occasionally by bird calls and the scurrying footsteps of wild animals.
“I’ve never known such solitude or serenity,” Kitty sighed happily.
“I know. Still, I can’t help worrying about what’s happening in town,” Ryan admitted. “We’ve been here nearly a week without a word from Padre Enrico or my brothers. What do you suppose they’re up to?”
“Perhaps I’ll go down to the mission tonight and find out,” Kitty ventured. “I’ve been worried about Bert. This has been too much for him. I should never have allowed him to get involved.”
“It was his choice, love,” Ryan allowed. “But I know what you mean. His trip to town and what happened afterward couldn’t have been good for him. I reckon it won’t hurt anything if you sneak down to the mission later and find out what’s going on. Bert said there might be a way to clear my name, and I’m anxious to learn how he intends to accomplish so daunting a feat.”
“I’ll wait until…” Her sentence ended abruptly when Ryan placed a hand over her mouth.
“Someone is coming. Riders. A lot of them. Quick, inside the cave.” He pushed her toward the mouth of the cave, then concealed himself behind the sagebrush shielding the entrance.
“What about you?” Kitty hissed.
“I just want to see who’s coming. Could be the law. Don’t come out unless I say it’s okay.”
Ryan peered through the thick brush, craning his neck to see who was passing below them. He wanted it to be his brothers but was disappointed when several riders rode into view. He blew out a curse when he recognized Marshal Pringle and his posse. They were riding the trail at the base of the mountain. He quickly pulled his head back and eavesdropped on their conversation as they reined in directly beneath the ledge he was crouched upon.
“Any sign of the prisoner?” he heard Pringle ask.
“Haven’t seen any tracks,” one of the deputies answered. “The trail peters out up ahead. Probably just an old Indian trail.”
Ryan blessed his lucky stars for the sere dry wind that had blown sand across their trail and the light rain that had fallen last night, which had helped to obscure the footprints and wagon wheel tracks.
“No sense riding into the mountains,” Pringle decided. “Even if Delaney is holed up there somewhere we’d never find him.”
“We haven’t ridden north yet,” the deputy ventured. “If someone gave Delaney a horse he could be halfway to Montana by now, and out of our jurisdiction.”
“Let’s go,” Pringle said, reining his mount away from the mountains. “We’ll range farther north and see if we turn up anything.”
Ryan sagged in relief. He was safe for the time being.
“Are they gone?” Kitty whispered from the mouth of the cave.
“It’s safe to come out now,” Ryan answered. “The posse rode away. I heard Pringle say they were going to ride north to see if they could pick up my trail. I reckon they’ll give up the search when they fail to find tracks. A week is a long time to hunt down a prisoner when the trail is cold.”
Kitty joined him outside the cave. “Nevertheless, we should take precautions. Perhaps you shouldn’t leave the cave for awhile.”
They sat on the ground in contemplative silence while each pondered their own thoughts. Then Ryan said, “I shouldn’t have married you.”
“What are you saying?”
“Our marriage condemned you to a lifetime of running from the law. It was wrong of me to think only of my own selfish needs. Forgive me, Kitten.”
“You’re talking nonsense,” Kitty scoffed. “Are you forgetting that you have two brothers working to clear your name? And what about Bert? He may be ill but don’t count him out yet.”
“You’re always there to bolster my confidence, aren’t you, love? I don’t know how I ever survived without you.”
Kitty remained thoughtful, then said, “I don’t know if this is the right time to tell you but I don’t want to wait any longer.”
“Tell me what?” Ryan asked, distracted by dancing sunbeams reflecting off her bright hair.
“I suspected this for the last few weeks but wanted to be sure before saying anything. We’re going to have a child,” Kitty revealed in a hushed voice. “Are you happy?”
Gripping her arms, Ryan searched her face, his own expression unreadable. “Are you sure?”
“As sure as I can be.”
Ryan’s hands tightened on her arms. “You little fool!” he said, giving her a gentle shake. “How could you have put your life in danger knowing you carried my child? Oh God, I shudder to think what might have happened if there had been gunplay during my escape. I love you too much to let you sacrifice your life for mine. I never would have agreed to your plan had I known. You should have stayed at the ranch where you’d be safe.”
“And let you hang?” Kitty countered, giving him an incredulous look. “Not on your life. Besides, I was in no danger.”
He growled a curt reply and dragged her up against him. Then he bent his head and kissed her with all the passion and love in his heart.
“You haven’t told me how you feel about becoming a father,” Kitty prodded.
Ryan grew thoughtful. “Becoming a father was something I never considered or aspired to.” Kitty looked so stricken that he quickly added, “On the other hand, I never thought I’d marry at all. But knowing that the woman I love more than my own life will be the mother of my children makes fatherhood an unexpected joy. I admit it will take some getting used to, but if my brothers adjusted to marriage and fatherhood I reckon I can too.” He puffed out his chest. “In fact, I’ll wager I’ll be better at it than they are.”
He gave her a quick kiss and led her back into the cave. “Shouldn’t you rest or something?”
Kitty gave him a hard poke in the ribs. “I don’t need to rest and we just did the ‘something’ you’re referring to. I’ll fix us something to eat first, then head down to the mission.”
Rain squalls passed over the area later that day, continuing on into the following day, preventing Kitty from returning to the mission. They had been in the cave ten days and were nearly out of supplies when Kitty finally ventured out. The mission lay a good mile from the base of the mountain, and she covered the ground quickly, keeping her eyes peeled for snakes as she passed. She reached the chapel without mishap and peeked inside, recognizing Padre Enrico’s rotund figure immediately. She hurried down the aisle to join him.
“Senorita Kitty!” he exclaimed, holding out his hands to her. “Your father said you’d show up soon. Come, I’ll take you to him.”
“Father is still here?” Kitty asked, fearing the worst as she followed the priest from the little chapel.
“He is very weak,” the padre warned. “I don’
t know what is keeping him alive. I suppose ’tis God’s will that he lives to see his daughter settled happily.”
They had reached the infirmary now, and Kitty hurried over to Bert’s bedside. His face lit up when he saw her. She grasped his hand; it felt cool, dry, and fragile to her touch.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” Bert greeted. “How are things with you and Ryan?”
“Perfect,” Kitty said dreamily. “I love him so much, Father. And he loves me, too.”
“How could he not love you? I loved you the moment I saw you. I suppose you’re wondering about Ryan’s brothers.”
“We expected to hear from them before now,” Kitty said. “It’s been over a week. How much longer do you think Ryan will have to remain hidden? A posse came by a few days ago, but they saw nothing and rode on. Ryan thinks they will give up the search soon.”
“Padre Enrico went to town this morning and learned that the posse has disbanded. But I understand Marshal Pringle is still looking for Ryan’s accomplices.”
“Where are Ryan’s brothers, Father?” Kitty wanted to know. “They haven’t abandoned Ryan, have they?”
“No, Daughter, Ryan’s brothers would never abandon him. They’re in Prescott, but I expect them to return soon. Padre Enrico said a train was expected late this afternoon. Perhaps they’ll be on it.”
Kitty was thoroughly confused. “What are they doing in Prescott? Shouldn’t they be trying to clear Ryan’s name?”
“Prescott is the capital of the Territory of Arizona,” Bert explained. “I sent the Delaney brothers there to petition the governor on Ryan’s behalf.”
She shot him a startled glance. Ryan’s brothers were on a wild-goose chase. Surely the governor had more important things to do than listen to a plea for a man’s life when all evidence pointed to his guilt. She studied Bert’s face with a sinking heart. “Is that the plan you told me about? What makes you think the governor will listen to you?” she railed. “Oh God, what are we going to do now?”
“We’re going to wait for Ryan’s brothers,” Bert said complacently.
“What am I going to tell Ryan?” Kitty asked on a note of panic.